Arlington
by jedlee07
Summary: In a stone garden a woman talks to someone she never thought she'd see again. And there's a slight twist. Songfic, Arlington by Trace Adkins. I wrote this a few years back but never finished so it's a bit different.


**I basically wrote this a few years ago, but didn't finish it. I decided I'd try it now. There's an explanation at the bottom in case you get a bit confused. Happy Reading!**

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**Arlington**

Carrie walked somberly through the garden, among its landscape of stones. She came to one in particular and dropped gently to her knees. She looked longingly at the name on the slab before running her fingers over it. She closed her eyes, wishing she could see him one more time; just once more hear his voice.

"Hey Carrie." Her eyes stayed closed. _He's not here. He didn't really say that. I 'm just imagining it because I need him so badly. _

"Open your eyes Care." She squeezed them shut tighter. A tear escaped, and she felt a breeze wipe it away.

"I'm not going to be here much longer. They let me show myself to you. But you've gotta look at me honey."

Finally, Carrie slowly opened her eyes. She gasped when she saw him, sitting on his tombstone. The medals pinned to his uniform glistened in the sun. He looked so real, but she knew he wasn't.

"There you go. I needed to see your pretty green eyes."

Carrie wiped the tears that wetted her cheeks. She sniffed and took a deep breath.

"You didn't ascend, did you?" A sad yet humorous smile crossed his ever-youthful face.

"No, unfortunately not. This time "they" is just the normal higher powers, not "the Others". I had to see you though." He looked down at the ground, and she could tell he was going to say something difficult.

"Your parents and grandparents are here. So's your older brother." More tears fell.

"At least they're happy now."

"Your father and brother thanked me for taking care of you and respecting you." She smiled.

"They were always so protective. I really miss them." He smiled gently and looked out across the lawn. They were silent for a while.

"You know, I never thought that this is where I'd settle down. I thought I'd die an old man back in my home town. They gave me this plot of land, me and some other men, for a job well done."

He pointed north.

"There's a big white house, sits on the hill just up the road. The man inside, he cried the day they brought me home."

He looked down.

"They folded up a flag and told my mom and dad 'We're proud of your son.'"

He lifted his eyes and stared at the sky. "I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property. I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company."

He looked down at his chest, his eyes resting on the ribbon that represented his Congressional Medal of Honor.

"I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done. I can rest in peace. I'm one of the chosen ones. I made it to Arlington."

He stood up, crossed his arms and looked around the field. Carrie stayed where she was, sitting on the grass.

"I remember Daddy brought me here when I was eight. We searched all day to find out where my granddad lay. And when we finally found that cross, he said "son, this is what it cost to keep us free." Now here I am a thousand stones away from him. He recognized me on the first day I cam in."

He grinned and then shuddered.

"And it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels and saluted me. And I'm proud to be on this peaceful peace of property. I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company. I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done. I can rest in peace. I'm one of the chosen ones. I made it to Arlington.

And every time I hear twenty-one guns, I know they've brought another hero home, to us," he looked at Carrie. She saw the images of hundreds of other young soldiers standing on their graves. Unfortunately, she recognized many of them.

"We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done. We can rest in peace, 'cause we are the chosen ones. We made it to Arlington. Yeah, dust to dust, don't cry for us. We made it Arlington." He leaned over and kissed her cheek; she felt a chill and a breeze pass over her when he did so. The spot on her face tingled. Then he stood up. The other soldiers were gone. He began to walk off.

He looked back, and when he did so, Carrie saw a group of people behind him. General Jack O'Neill stood next to Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter-O'Neill. Next to them were Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and General George Hammond. Dr. Janet Frasier was standing there, as well as every member of the SGC killed in the line of duty.

She saw her parents standing next to his. Her brother waved, and Colonel Jacob O'Neill saluted her. Tears streamed down her face as his son blew her another kiss.

"I love you Carrie. Forever and always."

Words escaped her as the large group welcomed her husband into their arms and disappeared. She looked back down at the stone, running her fingers over the name once more before walking away.

†

Charlie Carter O'Neill

Capt. USAF

SGC

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** The song is "Arlington" by Trace Adkins. I don't own it, but I love it (and his voice is perfect for it...)  
**

**Okay, so to clarify: SG-1 is dead (not to be so blunt...) The world has been made known about the Stargate program, which is why the tombstone says "SGC" on it and he got the Medal of Honor. The "ghost" is Jack and Sam's (hypothetical) grandson, and Carrie is his wife. It does say they gave the flag to his parents (Jack and Sam's son and his wife), yet they're with the bunch of departed. They died after their son did...I know it's probably really confusing, I wanted it the way I wrote it.**

** When the other soldiers popped up and it said she knew some of them, they were fallen SGC members, if you didn't catch on there. If you have any more questions, just ask them in a review or send me a pm. Thanks for reading!  
**


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